Method of and device for winding yarn without interrupting the winding process during removal of yarn breakage



3,314,621 WINDING YARN WITHOUT INTERRUPTING ING REMOVAL OF YARN BREAKAGE s U B R K U D 05 m @C O R EP 0 m I ND N I W W E WH H. T E M April 18, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1964 IN VENTOR.

Apnl 18, 1967 ou 3,314,621

METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR WINDING YARN WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE WINDING PROCESS DURING REMOVAL OF YARN BREAKAGE Filed July 31, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. All n44. B J

United States Patent METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR WINDlNG YARN W I T H 0 U T INTERRUPTING THE WINDING PROCESS DURING REMOVAL OF YARN BREAK- AGE Karel Boris, .lablonec Natl Nisou, Czechoslovakia, assignor to Elitex, Sdruzeni podniku textilniho strojirenstvi, Liherec, Czechoslovakia Filed July 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,620

priority, application Czechoslovakia, Aug. 14,

1963, 4,575/63 9 Claims. (Cl. 24235.6)

The present invention is concerned with a method of winding yarn, in which the yarn breakage is removed without interrupting the winding process, and with a device for performing said method.

An automatic winding machine is known, in which yarn breakage is removed while running, i.e. without interrupting the winding process. in this machine a knotter is being used, which can form a knot within sec., i.e. that in view of this time interval at a winding speed of 1,000 meters per min. 8 ems. of yarn are wound on to the bobbin.

It is clear that the knotter working at such a high speed is expensive and of minute construction.

In this winding method the yarn achieves between the delivery cop and the bobbin built a velocity which is determined by a driving member, usually in the form of a winding drum, driving frictionally the bobbin being built.

The method according to the present invention aims at overcoming said drawbacks, i.e. at removing a yarn breakage without interrupting the winding process, at high speed, by using a simple, reliable and unexpensive knotter, said knotter working at a considerable lower speed, from about sec. to several seconds.

The method according to the present invention is characterized in that the yarn is accumulated on its path between the knotter and the bobbin being wound, in order to form a reserve, so that the speed of said yarn suddenly drops to a value near zero or even zero. In the case of yarn breakage, said yarn is wound off from said reserve, while the end of the new yarn is knotted to the yarn end from said reserve. Then the reserve is completed to the value necessary for further knotting, this being done at a higher speed than the usual winding speed. The main feature of the device for performing the method accord- Claims ing to the present invention is the element for accumulating a yarn reserve, said element being placed within the yarn path between the knotters and the winding mechanisms, as well as means for drawing off yarn from cops and delivering said yarn .into said element.

The device according to the present invention is shown in form of example diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of an embodiment in which the yarn reserve is formed by pneumatic means.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional side view of an embodiment with a roller for increasing the take-up speed of said pneumatic means.

'FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, sectional side view of an embodiment in which the yarn reserve is formed mechanicall The same elements have the same reference numbers in all figures.

Yam 1 is drawn oif cop 2 and passes through an eyelet 3, an auxiliary brake 4, an electronic clearer 5 or a mechanical clearer 6 and a sensor 7, and from there into the knotter '8 and towards the means for drawing off the yarn. In the model shown in FIG. 1, these means are formed by a pneumatic nozzle 9 of the penumatic mechanism 10, one part of which is formed by a pressure medium source( not shown), said nozzle passing into the element for accumulating the reserve, i.e. in the present case into a vessel provided with openings, e.g. a perforated vessel 11, said vessel being slightly increased in width towards the bottom. This vessel can be also made in form of a wire cage, so that the air leaving nozzle 9 can escape through the openings of the perforated vessel or through the cage, if said vessels are not filled up by the yarn reserve. The bottom of the perforated vessel 11 is provided with the opening 12, through which the yarn is drawn off, and fed to the bobbin 14 for being wound up, said yarn passing on its way to said bobbin through a brake 13. Bobbin 14, which can have any shape is driven e.g. directly by the winding drum 15. The pneumatic mechanism is equipped with a valve 16, said valve being situated in the supply of nozzle 9 and controlled either by the knotter 8 and the sensor 7 or by th electronic clearer eg by means of the electromagnet 17. Below the knotter, in the yarn path a cutting mechanism 18 and a gripper 19 are situated for cutting and gripping the yarn in case of a slub, so as to keep the yarn tensioned or, to hold in case of yarn breakage the upper end of the yarn.

The operator threads yarn 1 through the said elements, as shown in FIG. 1. After starting the device, nozzle 9 begins to draw otf yarn 1 from cop 2 and store it in the perforated vessel 11, i.e. said nozzle begins to form the reserve. This is done for such a time, during which the air can still escape through the openings of perforated vessel 11. As soon as said vessel is filled up with yarn, said yarn closes all openings of the perforated vessel 11 and because of that the air stops flowing through nozzle 9, the drawing-off of yarn being thereby stopped. Meanwhile, the winding process on to bobbin 14 was started, whereby yarn 1 is being wound off said perforated vessel 11 through opening 12, the yarn reserve being pressed by influence of air pressure in the perforated vessel to the bottom, the openings of perforated vessel 11 being situated near the nozzle 9 being thereby set free and consequently, air can flow again through nozzle 9, further drawing ofl? yarn from cop 2 being again possible. The pneumatic mechanism is constructed in such a way, that by means of nozzle 9 higher take-up speeds than the winding speed of bobbin 14 can be achieved. During the winding process, the equilibrium state is achieved very soon and the drawing off speed, induced by the nozzle, becomes equal to the winding speed of bobbin 14 in case of suflicient reserve, i.e. in case that the perforated vessel 11 is almost =filled up. When in this state the yarn is broken or the electronic clearer 5 finds a failure in the yarn, sensor 7 or said clearer emits an impulse, which stops by means of electromagnet 17 and valve 16 the air flow into nozzle *9. Simultaneously the cutting mechanism 18 and the gripper 19 are brought into action by means of known and for better understanding not shown elements in such a way, that the end of yarn 1, projecting from the perforated vessel is kept by gripper '19 under tension. Afterwards, knotter 8 is brought into action, gripping the yarn from the cop under the auxiliary brake 4 or from a cop, not shown in FIG. 1 and delivering said yarn into the knotting mechanism. After knotting the two yarn ends, which must be performed at such a speed that the yarn reserve in the perforated vessel is not completely exhausted, an impulse of knotter 8 opens valve 16, nozzle 9 completing now at an increased drawing ofi speed the yarn reserve in the perforated vessel 11, whereby gain the equilibrium state is achieved.

In FIG. 2, the device according to the present invention is shown, said device being able to induce higher drawing-off forces in yarn 1, and being therefore suitable for processing heavier yarns. In front of nozzle 9, a

roller is situated in the yarn path. Yarn 1 is guided over a driven roller 20, the peripheral speed of which is higher than the winding speed, and over an auxiliary roller 21, said yarn being wound around the said rollers once or several times in such a way, as to increase in a known way the traction in the yarn, whereby even heavier yarn can be processed at smaller consumption of air nozzle 9. In the case of yarn breakage the roller need not be stopped, as the yarn slips on said roller.

In FIG. 3 another model according to the present invention is shown. For drawing off the yarn from the cop into the reserve vessel no pneumatic means are used, but mechanical means in form of feeding rollers 22 and 23, at least one of which being driven by the electric motor 24, the peripheral speed of said rollers being higher than the winding speed of bobbin 14. The element for accumulating the yarn reserve is formed by an inclined vessel 25, said vessel being of cylindrical shape and its lower inlet part being arranged on the delivery side of feeding rollers 22 and 23. The bottom 26 of this vessel 25 is provided with an opening 27 for yarn delivery, said bottom having the shape of a piston, which is placed freely traversable in the vessel 25 and, when vessel 25 is empty, the bot-tom 26 bears by influence of gravity-in other models this can be caused by influence of a spring-against a shoulder 28 of vessel 25. In the control circuit 29, controlling the electric motor 24, two switches 30 and 31 are connected in series, switch 30 being situated near the upper part of vessel 25 in such a way, that it is switched off by bottom 26, when said bottom is partially shifted out of vessel 25, i.e. in the case of full reserve. The other switch 31 senses the presence of yarn below the knotter 8 and opens the circuit 29 in the case of breakage of yarn 1.

Before starting the winding process by means of this model, yarn 1 is threaded through the gap between feeding rollers 22 and 23 and through opening 27 of bottom 26 and afterwards the electric motor 24 is started. The feeding rollers 22 and 23 convey the yarn into vessel 25 for such a time, until bottom 26 opens circuit 29 of the electric motor 24 by means of switch 30, this being caused by influence of the pressure of the yarn reserve being formed. After filling up vessel 25, the winding of yarn on to bobbin 14 can be started. As soon as a part of the yarn reserve is wound off, bottom 26 moves downward, switch 30 starts electric motor 24 and the feeding rollers 22 and 23 complete the yarn reserve again at a higher speed than the winding speed. In the case of yarn breakage, switch 31 switches off the electric motor 24 even in the case vessel 25 is not filled up completely so that the end of yarn 1 can be gripped by gripper 19 (not shown in FIG. 3) and the knotter 8 can be brought into action. The circuit 29 is closed after knotting by a switch 33 controlled by the knotter 8, so that the completion of the yarn reserve can be carried on.

In view of the fact, that the mutual relation of several elements described in this specification is known and uite common and results from the above specification, it was included neither into the specification not into the drawings, in order to achieve hereby better understanding of the main features of the present invention as well as of its function.

What I claim is:

1. A method of winding yarn and knotting the same during breakage without interrupting the winding process comprising the steps of guiding the yarn along a predetermined path; winding up the yarn at one end of the path with a predetermined winding speed; I QV P the yarn upstream of said one end with a speed higher than said predetermined winding speed into a vessel until a predetermined yarn reserve is accumulated in said vessel upstream of said one end; and knotting said yarn in case of breakage between said yarn reserve and the other end of said yarn while continuing winding said yarn from said yarn reserve in said vessel.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the accumulated yarn reserve is sufiicient to allow a knotting time of at least 1/20 of a second without interrupting the winding process.

3. An arrangement for winding yarn and knotting the same during breakage without interruption of the winding process comprising, in combination, guide means for guiding a yarn along a predetermined path; winding means for winding otf the yarn at one end of said path; drive means cooperating with said winding means for rotating the same with a predetermined speed; knotting means along said path for knotting the yarn when broken; a vessel arranged along said path between said knottting means and said winding means, said vessel having an inlet opening through which said yarn enters said vessel and an outlet opening through which said yarn leaves said vessel; and feeding means cooperating with said yarn for feeding the same into said inlet opening of said vessel with a speed greater than that at which the yarn is withdrawn through said out-let opening by said winding means until said vessel is substantially filled with a loose yarn reserve, whereby in case of yarn breakage said knotting means may knot the broken yarn while the winding means continue to wind up yarn from said yarn reserve.

4. An arrangement as set forth in claim 3, wherein said feeding means are in the form of pneumatic means including a nozzle extending through said inlet opening into said vessel.

5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein said vessel is perforated so that air passing through said nozzle into said vessel may escape through the perforations until yarn accumulated in the vessel covers said perforations.

6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 5, wherein said vessel has at said outlet opening a greater cross section than at said inlet opening.

7. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, and including a roller between said vessel and said knotting means, said yarn being Wound about said roller, and means for rotating said roller about its axis.

8. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein said feeding means comprise a pair of rollers engaging said yarn, and drive means connected to at least one of said rollers for driving the same at a peripheral speed greater than said winding speed.

9. An arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein said outlet opening of said vessel is formed in a movable part slidably guided in the remainder of said vessel from a starting position adjacent to said inlet opening to an end position remote therefrom, said movable part being moved from said starting to said end position as yarn accumulates in said vessel, and means for cooperating with said movable part for stopping said driving means when said movable part reaches said end position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,017,129 1/1962 Frost 242-35.6

STANLEY N, GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF WINDING YARN AND KNOTTING THE SAME DURING BREAKAGE WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE WINDING PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF GUIDING THE YARN ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH; WINDING UP THE YARN AT ONE END OF THE PATH WITH A PREDETERMINED WINDING SPEED; MOVING THE YARN UPSTREAM OF SAID ONE END WITH A SPEED HIGHER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED WINDING SPEED INTO A VESSEL UNTIL A PREDETERMINED YARN RESERVE IS ACCUMULATED IN SAID VESSEL UPSTREAM OF SAID ONE END; AND KNOTTING SAID YARN IN CASE OF BREAKAGE BETWEEN SAID YARN RESERVE AND THE OTHER END OF SAID YARN WHILE CONTINUING WINDING SAID YARN FROM SAID YARN RESERVE IN SAID VESSEL. 